Zilla as tumbler media

[Boots]

with many suggesting going to a pet store to get tumbler media... I have to say thanks!

I went by Pet Smart a few weeks ago and bought a 10 lbs bag of Zilla crushed walnut lizard litter for $12 and must say I love it. Less to no dust, no residue on the brass and I noticed that for less time is gets the brass to a better shine than the Lyman corn cob media I have.

I've also noticed because they are smaller granules, that I don't have an issue with media stuck in the primer pockets and flash holes like I did with the other stuff. I'm sold!

[Dubious_Beans]

I got mine at the local feed store... 50 Lbs for $12.95

[CSACANNONEER]

I got mine at the local feed store... 50 Lbs for $12.95

I can't find a feed store that stocks it. Wanna share your store?

[Boots]

I got mine at the local feed store... 50 Lbs for $12.95

Can't beat that! There used to be a feed store right around the block from me... I have a neighbor that has a horse, I should ask her where she gets her feed. Right now, I think I'm set for a while.

[Dubious_Beans]

Mine came from "Friendly Feed & Supply", in Fulton, CA. (Edge of Santa Rosa)
I was surprised they had it. Apparently it's used for animal bedding besides lizards.
It's about the same size or slightly finer than the RCBS brand walnut. Works great!

Nice folks at Friendly Feed.

[XDRoX]

Is it dusty? More so than if bought at a gun store?

[Dubious_Beans]

Doesn't seem any dustier than the RCBS stuff.

[Boots]

Is it dusty? More so than if bought at a gun store?

I've found that although it does leave a residue "ring" in my tumbler, it didn't leave any residue on the brass. A nice plus!

[knucklehead0202]

do you use polish in it as well? i haven't quite fouled all the media that came with my Lyman tumbler yet but have been thinking toward getting some more, in bulk and i do know of a feed store or 2 locally. my dad uses rice, anybody else tried that? it's cheap and you get a hell of a lot of it. opinions?

[maxxrange]

I use it and like it too. I drop a half sheet of used dryer fabric softener sheets and GASP Brasso. I put about a tablespoon full in and let it run with the lid off. (no dust with the dryer sheet plus it removed the carbon or whatever the black stuff is, off the media.

After the ammonia smell is gone, in goes the brass, in about an hour, the cases are as shiny as need be. Even with .223 there are no kernels hiding in the flash holes. I hate corn cob media with .223 I got tired of picking it out even though it probably causes no harm.

I have polished over 1200 cases with the same load of zilla and see no need to change it. In other words the load I did today (.308 and .30 Carbine) took about an hour and was just as shiny as the first load I ran through it.

[Boots]

do you use polish in it as well? i haven't quite fouled all the media that came with my Lyman tumbler yet but have been thinking toward getting some more, in bulk and i do know of a feed store or 2 locally. my dad uses rice, anybody else tried that? it's cheap and you get a hell of a lot of it. opinions?

I used the Zilla plain, no polish... additives what so ever, and they came out shiny and new looking. That was with a 40 minute tumble.

[Suhleen]

I used the Zilla plain, no polish... additives what so ever, and they came out shiny and new looking. That was with a 40 minute tumble.

Add a couple capfulls of NuFinish and a couple tablespoons of mineral spirits and they'll come out even better

[Roccobro]

Add a couple capfulls of NuFinish and a couple tablespoons of mineral spirits and they'll come out even better

^^ This.

I've tumbled 10k in all calibers of range pickup and besides being darker, This Lizard Litter polishes just fine still.

Justin

[bucktooth7]

I bought walnut litter at petsmart called Kaytee bird litter. I guess birds will poop in that stuff too! Works great in my tumbler, great improvement from the apple cider soak I had been using.

[WTSGDYBBR]

I bought 2 10 pound bags of Zillia from Petco in Cerritos Town Center for 9 bucks each could have got it a few bucks cheaper if I had a petco card. Tonight I just finished 8k of 45acp brass. I changes the media once and iv been at it all for 1 week. The brass came out really good. The Zillia is a bit dusty but for the price don't care. So how can I save some money on polish ? I been using the Dillion polish about 8-9 bucks a bottle .